Christianity has a long history in Ethiopia, and the Ethiopian Orthodox church has significant power in the country. But many Ethiopian Orthodox Christians don’t know or read the Bible, and they mix animist practices in with their faith. Most persecution against Christians is caused by family or society, and persecution is most severe in the northern and eastern parts of the country, where Islam is prevalent. Former Muslims who convert to Christianity are cut off from family relationships and rejected by society, occasionally suffering physical harm. ICR partners report that pressure exerted by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on evangelical Christians increased significantly in the last year. This pressure includes marginalization, prison sentences, and church closures.